Papillomas are protruding formations that appear on the human skin and mucous membranes. They are not really a disease, but only serve as an external manifestation of the body's infection with HPV - the human papilloma virus.
Papillomavirus exists in many different strains, some of which are dangerous because tumors have a malignant effect, that is, they can turn into malignancies.
Causes of papillomas on the penis
Papillomas are warty benign formations on the skin or mucous membranes.
The human papilloma virus is transmitted in a number of ways, from a sick person to a healthy one. The main method is sexual intercourse with unprotected sex. But the virus can be "received" in a domestic way by contact with the carrier if there are defects in the integrity of the body or mucous membranes, through the blood and other fluids infected with the virus.
It is quite difficult to completely "kill" a virus that has already entered the body, but in about 90% of cases there is an independent cure, that is, the immune system itself "kills" the virus. However, in some cases, the disease becomes recurrent and can last for many years.
Strains with a malignant ability, that is, the transformation of a tumor into a malignant, pose a particular danger.
HPV has a long incubation period, with strong immunity, it can last from a month to a year.
But as soon as the immune system is weakened, it will immediately make itself felt. Symptoms of its presence are formations on the body and mucous membranes, which may be round, oval or oblong in shape and vary in size from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.
More than 600 strains of the virus are known in medicine, more than 40 of which can cause tumors in the genitals and anal areas in men and women. These are the ones that cause papillomas on the penis, called genital warts.
Some papillomas are harmless to human health, others can provoke an annoying cosmetic defect - warts, and still others threaten the body with the most dangerous disease - cancer. There is medical evidence between cervical and breast cancer that develops with infection with certain strains of HPV.
If a virus enters the body that can cause papillomas on the genitals, then the main route of entry is sexual. Relaxed relationships, bisexual and homosexual contacts are especially dangerous. However, the virus can also be inherited - the fetus becomes infected through the birth canal of an infected mother. There is also a risk of skin damage when visiting the pool, public toilet, sauna, gym, epilating, shaving.
Signs and symptoms of the disease
Symptoms depend on the location, number and size of papillomas.
Most often, papillomas on the penis affect the head of the organ, "settle" along the foreskin, form colonies on the branches and can even enter the urethra.
With a strong spread of papillomas, papillomas manifest as "cauliflower", urination can be hurt, hurt and even bleed during intercourse.
As this is a viral disease, the period of activation of papilloma growth is accompanied by a severe decrease in immunity. A person feels weak, lethargic, his body temperature may rise, most often at subfebrile levels (37 - 37, 5 ° C). Because immunity is reduced, an infected person can easily catch a cold and "take" ARVI and ARI.
The proliferation of papillomas can cause phimosis, a narrowing of the foreskin.
Due to this condition, a special grease - smegma - accumulates on the head of the penis. Its infection can lead to the development of a dangerous disease, so if even isolated papillomas are detected, a doctor should be consulted immediately. Some neoplasms can be removed very quickly and almost painlessly, preventing their growth and a high risk of developing into a malignancy.
Necessary examinations and tests
The presence of papilloma is determined visually by the doctor, but other studies are needed to determine the strain and the degree of risk to the patient. The patient submits the blood for typing using PCR, a Digene screening test, and is tested for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, as in most cases HPV is "linked" to STDs.
Urethoscopy is performed if papillomas are suspected to enter the urethra. Your doctor may prescribe a biopsy if you are too tall or if doctors suspect that the body has started to degenerate into a cancer.
Papilloma treatment and removal methods
The human papillomavirus cannot be completely removed from the body of an infected person, sometimes remaining in the patient for life. Medicines to fight HPV include the use of antiviral drugs and immunomodulators that stimulate the immune system itself.
In essence, doctors focus on eliminating the external signs of the virus, that is, the papillomas, warts and genital warts themselves.
Only in the case of cancer degeneration is a complex treatment that involves surgery and the use of chemotherapy to prevent the tumor from spreading.
The following treatments are used to remove papillomas on the penis:
- Surgical removal.
- Electrocoagulation.
- Laser formation (neodymium or carbon dioxide).
- Cryodestruction - destruction of the neoplasm using liquid nitrogen. Cryodestruction can be applied or aerosolized.
- Cauterization with chemicals.
In most cases, the use of these methods is sufficient to remove the papilloma and prevent its recurrence.
The method of treatment is chosen by the doctor depending on the degree of damage, the type of tumor, the patient's condition and his age.
There is a specialized vaccine used by women to prevent the most dangerous disease, squamous cell carcinoma or cervical cancer. It has been shown to be caused by one of the dangerous strains of the human papillomavirus, because in the absence of HPV, this type of cancer does not occur.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine today that can prevent infection with other types of human papillomavirus, including those that provoke growths on the intimate male organs. The only effective form of protection is still the use of condoms during sexual intercourse, as well as personal hygiene, caution against possible infection in public places.
Prognosis and possible complications
Doctors have found that in 90% of all cases of HPV infection, when a person has strong immunity, the body copes with the virus on its own within 24 months. But this observation only applies to certain strains of the human papillomavirus that cannot provoke the development of cancer.
The most dangerous complication is considered to be a malignancy, that is, the transformation of the papilloma into cancer. But only some strains of HPV have such properties. The unfortunate consequences can be prevented by timely access to medical care and timely diagnosis.
In rare cases, neoplasms may form on and around the scar tissue after the papilloma has been removed if the virus multiplies actively in the patient's body due to weakened immunity. This situation will require repeated removal of the papillomas and comprehensive strengthening of the patient's immunity to prevent further growth.
In most cases, the prognosis is positive if the disease has not progressed too much. But this rarely happens with genital warts, because their development causes severe discomfort to the man, and he quickly turns to doctors.